SIL Information

SIL (formerly known as Supported Independent Living), a part of the Lifeways Group, has been in operation since 2009 providing an Enhanced Community Recovery services for people with complex mental health needs. Our primary purpose is to support the early or timely transition of individuals from hospital and medium/low secure settings to a community based, high support service, providing self-contained accommodation with individual tenancies, supported by a 24/7 team of Recovery Support Workers with ‘wrap around’ support from our peripatetic Quality and Practice Team. We believe that our service represents a missing piece of the mental health pathway, and that many individuals remain in secure units and hospitals because of a lack of suitable alternatives. At best, if an alternative does exist, it is often residential or nursing care, which we believe is less conducive to maintaining or developing the necessary skills to encourage and foster ‘Recovery’. Our schemes are provided in partnership with specialist Registered Social Landlords, who provide high quality individual flats within a protected scheme of typically 12-16 units. These properties can be new build or refurbished depending on the availability of land/suitable existing buildings. Unit sizes can therefore vary but each will offer self-contained kitchen, bathroom and toilet facilities, based around a staff office with staff sleep in facilities. All schemes are staffed 24 hours a day by a team of Recovery Support Workers with ‘wrap around’ support from our Quality and Practice Team of Social Workers, Occupational Therapists, Registered Mental Health Nurses and a Recovery Coach. This team provides support to all our schemes to ensure a high level of professional competence and understanding across assessments, risk management and recovery interventions and support.